Accra: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany, in commemoration of the International Women's Day (IWD) 2026, has renewed its commitment to empowering women and girls. The Foundation marked the day through its development programmes that have been implemented for more than 14 years, aimed at improving women's health, education, and leadership across Africa, Asia, and other regions.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Rasha Kelej, the Chief Executive Officer of the Merck Foundation, stated that empowering women and girls remained central to the organisation's mission. She emphasized that at Merck Foundation, empowering women and girls is not confined to a single day but is embedded in every aspect of their work, shaping their vision and guiding their programmes.
Dr. Kelej highlighted the collaboration with the First Ladies of Africa and Asia, who serve as ambassadors of the Foundation. For 14 years, the organisation has celebrated the day through sustained action under programmes such as 'More Than a Mother,' the 'Merck Foundation Scholarships Programme,' 'Educating Linda,' and the 'STEM Programme.' She conveyed her wishes to women and girls globally, encouraging them to rise with confidence, overcome barriers, and realise their full potential.
The 'More Than a Mother' initiative aims to empower infertile and childless women by providing access to information, education, and health services while promoting a change in societal attitudes towards infertility. The Foundation's Scholarships Programme has awarded over 2,500 scholarships to healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, enhancing healthcare delivery across Africa, Asia, and other regions.
Dr. Kelej noted that nearly half of these scholarships, approximately 1,200, have been awarded to women medical graduates, enabling them to become healthcare specialists and leaders. Additionally, over 770 scholarships have been provided to young healthcare professionals to strengthen reproductive and sexual health services and fertility care capacity.
She stressed the importance of education to women's empowerment, citing the 'Educating Linda' programme, through which the Foundation, in collaboration with the First Ladies of Africa, has provided more than 1,200 annual scholarships to underprivileged African schoolgirls from 19 countries to help them complete their education.
The Foundation also promotes women's participation in science and technology through its STEM Programme and the annual Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS) Awards, which recognize outstanding African women researchers and young researchers. Dr. Kelej stated that their goal is to empower women and young African researchers, enhance their research capacity, and promote their contributions to STEM.
In addition, the Foundation, together with the First Ladies of Africa and Asia, has launched annual awards in media, song, film, and fashion to raise awareness about issues affecting women and girls. These initiatives focus on promoting girls' education, breaking infertility stigma, ending female genital mutilation and child marriage, and combating gender-based violence.
The Foundation also supports advocacy on girls' education through children's storybooks, animation films, awareness songs, and dedicated programmes on 'Our Africa' television programme by the Merck Foundation.